Envy, the new Central District nursery, will put the green back in your life
Jay Longtin has a new plant just for you -- and he'll even perk up the sad ones you already have
By Alison Brownrigg
Special to NWsource
Alison Brownrigg
More info:
Printer friendly
E-mail a friend
Digg it
RSS for Daily FindFor some of us, a houseplant is like another member of the family, worthy of love, attention and TLC. I know people who have coaxed ailing orchids back into bloom, nursed tiny shoots into healthy plants and overlooked the leggy branches and sparse growth of a potted palm.
Jay Longtin, a former sales representative, is one of those green-thumbed Seattleites who appreciate the fresh oxygen and soothing green that houseplants provide. A lover of exotic and tropical houseplants, Longtin has parlayed this passion into Envy, his month-old plant and patio store in the Central District.
Envy is housed in a new brick building on Union Street that brims with charm and street appeal. The walls of the two-level, loftlike shop are painted a pale green, coral and white, which gives the space a cheerful vibe.
Tropical and exotic plants like aloe, birds of paradise and pencil cactus come potted or un-potted and range in price from $20 to $165. Envy features a small selection of accessories, like pots (from $25) and birdhouses ($18), with patio furniture coming soon.
On the sunny September day that I visited, Longtin had some outdoor plants set up on the sidewalk outside the shop. Flats filled with succulents, creeping thyme and shade-loving ferns (starting at $4) were lined up on long benches, patiently waiting to be taken home and planted.
In addition to the retail shop, Longtin is offering customers the opportunity to order plants in bulk at a 20-percent discount off their retail price. For the next week or so, Longtin will take orders for house and landscaping plants, and will then have the plants delivered to the store for customers to pick up. He's hoping that this offer will entice his neighbors to help reinvigorate the beautiful tree-lined streets of the Central District.
Longtin also offers a Sad Plant Service. Bring your tired and droopy houseplants to Envy, and Longtin will rehabilitate and freshen them up for a $5 fee and the cost of a new pot. You can trust Longtin to take good care of your sad plants -- when he moved from Vermont to Seattle five years ago, he had his favorite aloe plant shipped across country via next day air. That's some serious plant love.
If you have a shop, sale, event or great product tip you'd like to share, e-mail seattleshopping@nwsource.com.
Copyright © The Seattle Times Company
Comments
Post a commentNope, sorry. I'm a loyal fan of the quality and prices Jay Williams has over at Emerald City Gardens.
Thanks for getting the Central District part right - something so few of your journalist contemporaries can claim. 25th & Union is indeed the CD - not Madrona, Madison Valley, or anything else.
Having said that - the building is *not* renovated. It's brand-spanking-new, and Envy is the first tenant in the space.
Hello Visitor,
We apologize for the error in regard to the builidng, and have corrected the article. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
--NWsource editor
I'm a little appalled by the comments by the "visitor" and find it extremely unfortunate that some people cannot find it within themselves to be happy for others. I think Envy is a wonderful space and believe that Mr. Longtin did a wonderful job creating a beautiful store (whether it be new or renovated) that is a welcome addition to our neighborhood. I think the "visitor" is attempting to use the article about Envy as an opportunity to shamelessly plug Emerald City Gardens... which makes me wonder if said "visitor" might perhaps be Jay Williams himself. As a former loyal customer of Emerald City Gardens, I am the newest client of Envy that will no longer support someone who does something so tacky as what the "visitor" has done here. I cannot say enough good things about Mr. Longtin (and his professionalism), something I seem to be unable to do about Mr. Williams after reading the posts from the "visitor".
This store is great and so nice to have more businesses headed in our direction. Thanks for opening, Jay and welcome!!
I had a great experience at Envy. I have an orchid that needed some tender loving care and Jay did a great time helping me with a water reservoir with decorative rocks and a fresh pot for it. Thank you Envy for making my house a better place. :-D
Aaron McCloud: (I know this is a few months old now, but) I can tell you without reservation that that first "Visitor" post wasn't made by the owner of Emerald City Gardens, probably just by one of his loyal customers who didn't think to put their name.
As evidenced by: http://emeraldcitygardens.blogspot.com/2009/02/not...
Lauren, very well put!!
Hopefully there is enough business around for everyone to prosper in Seattle. Good luck with both of the "newer" gardens in your very lucky city.
I want to support Lauren and Lynne in their comments. Click through on the link Lauren supplied. As far as their being enough business for everyone ... Seattle is very under served in nurseries and florists.
We have moved to our new store location on Capitol Hill - come visit us there: www.envygrows.com
Thanks everyone!
post a reply